A recently returned hero has joined the ranks of S.W.O.R.D. but it sets up a potentially ruinous power struggle within the X-Men organization.
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Cable Reloaded #1, on sale now from Marvel Comics.
The return of the original Cable has sent some shockwaves through Krakoa, with his younger incarnation having left a defined mark on the mutant nation. But while some, like Hope Summers, have been excited to see the old soldier return to the present battlefield, other mutants have been warier of Cable’s return — including one that could see him as a natural rival to her place in the mutant hierarchy.
In Cable Reloaded #1 (by Al Ewing, Bob Quinn, Java Tartaglia, and VC’s Joe Sabino), Abigail Brand gets the chance to work with the older incarnation of Cable — and their natural tension could bode poorly for the future of the X-Men space program.
Krakoa and the collective mutant population have been trying to be united in recent years, working together to turn Krakoa into a safe haven for all mutants as they progress into an ever-unpredictable future. But the inner workings of various mutant relationships and bonds have also threatened strife and chaos within the growing alliances. This notably includes the Quiet Council, which has increasingly been beset by internal conflict and in-fighting — especially now that Magneto has been accused of murdering the Scarlet Witch. Another potential chaotic power player has proven to be Abigail Brand, the head of S.W.O.R.D.
Effectively commanding the space program for Krakoa, Brand has been upfront about the animosity that S.W.O.R.D. enjoys away from Krakoa and the Quiet Council, effectively serving as their own self-sustaining branch of the mutant nation — and as a result, she’s had no genuine threats to her command. Brand’s actions have already resulted in huge strides for Krakoa on a galactic scale thanks to the revelations of Mysterium, but her decision to keep the rest of Earth’s heroes in the dark about the events of Last Annihilation (as well as electing to hide Scarlet Witch’s death from her son Wiccan and his husband Hulking) could threaten the stability she’s achieved. She’s also creating a secret cabal of allies that she can trust beyond anyone else, giving her an edge over essentially anyone else in Krakoa.
However, she might have just found a new rival: Cable. Originally, the younger incarnation of the character was given a position as the Head of Security for the Peak, seemingly as something of a political favor to the Summers family. But the young Cable has been returned to his proper place in the timeline, replaced with the original, older and war-weary incarnation of Cable. While discussing their roles in Rocket Raccoon’s plans to combat the forces of Dormammu, Cable admits to himself that his decades of combat experience make him an ideal figure for that role. However, his own years of leadership make it difficult for him to just turn over command to another person, regardless of their skills and experience.
Brand and Cable are clearly quick to aggravate each other — and Brand gives Cable a surprised and almost skeptical look when it turns out he’s quick to follow the commands of Rocket, for whom he’s always had a quiet respect for. Cable and Brand working together could produce one of the best and most effective arms of the mutant nation possible. But the innate tension between the pair is somewhat worrying — especially as Cable’s impressive telepathic abilities will likely be seen by Brand as something of a liability at best, and a threat at worst.
Hopefully, the pair will see their cooperation in the Last Annihilation as the beginning of a fruitful partnership that could create serious victories for Krakoa. But if not, then they could quickly give into the same in-fighting that’s currently tearing other branches of the Krakoa government apart, which in turn could have galactic consequences not just for mutant-kind, but for the entirety of Earth.
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